The next song for my It's All Academic-- The Musical captures Chapter 8, the scene where the Boan leadership plays a series of serious basketball games, leaving Provost Carter taking a rare bubble bath, punctuated by the glasses of scotch provided by his wife, Natalie. The scene has him in his bathtub to the far left of the stage. The wall of his bathroom separates him from a gymnasium, darkened at the opening of the scene. Natalie sits on a stool that allows her to see the right side of the stage.

Natalie: I brought you a little something.

Carter: Glenfiddich?

Natalie: Of course.

Carter: You are an angel.

{He takes a healthy sip.}

C: Mmm. Just right.

N: You ready to finally tell me about this stupid basketball game?

C: Hmm? I suppose.

As he breaks into "Just a Game," the right side of the gym is lit and the various male cast members of Boan imitate basketball moves as they dance to the song. Early in the song Carter will get out of the bathtub, revealing himself to be in basketball clothes, and he will sing the song while participating in the dancing/imitative play, returning to the bathtub right before the last couple of bars of "Just a Game." The whole time Natalie remains on the stool but does watch him as he moves into the gym area for his part in the dancing.

C: "I expected just a game

Especially since Mike Stewart,

With his grey hair and creaking knees,

Was going to play full court.

I should have not been surprised

When he warned me ahead of time

That President Berrien's a tad competitive,

That he sees it as showtime."

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N: "Silly you, it's just a game."

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C: "We all warmed up for just a game,

Half couldn't hit the rim,

Half couldn't shut up long enough,

To even get out on the gym.

I felt pretty cocky I have to admit

But should have doubted myself

When Yost put on Aerosmith's Greatest Hits,

Knowing I should bid casual play a farewell."

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N: "Silly you, it's just a game."

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C: "Berrien picked first for teams,

Another sign that this would be insane.

He of course took the coach

To be the general for his campaign.

Hank eventually chose me

When he saw how pickings were slim.

And that's how I came to find myself

Risking life and limb."

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N: "For just a game? Silly you."

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C: At times it was ugly,

Jones and Aaron collided right away,

Berrien shouted foul.

And Hank screamed "No Way!"

It never got any better,

Shots missed the backboard,

Players limped off the court,

The action was truly roughshod."

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N: "Silly me, it's not just a game."

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C: "Even the score got disputed,

Despite the infrequency of a basket.

If we challenged Berrien's account,

He blew a freaking gasket.

We always let him get the final shot

To soothe that giant ego.

Even I gave him the lane,

Fearing that he might let me go."

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N: "Silly me, it's not just a game."

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C: "And on top of it all,

During down times we discussed staff:

Deals were made to move people

Under VPs who couldn't speak on their behalf.

By the time "Love in an Elevator" came on

Berrien's team had won all three times,

And no one seemed phased

By the on and off court crimes."

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N: Oh my, it's just a silly game."

{Lights darken as Carter, back in the tub, gets his glass filled with more scotch.}